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Albums of the Year: Indiana Edition

In lieu of the usual weekly album review, I thought I’d follow suit with many music publications and offer up some of the best music from 2013. This week’s list will cover local and regional acts from the Hoosier state.

Before we get to it, I have to admit I’m new to Indiana, and I’ve only brushed the surface of what the state has to offer musically. Thus far, I’ve found some really great acts, some are featured here, and I’m looking forward to discovering more.

Feel free to let me know what I may have missed or what I should be looking for in 2014 in the comments section. Now, without further adieu…

4. “Acoustic Recordings” by husband&wife

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Though this much-adored Bloomington act called it quits this year, this compilation of unplugged renditions from the husband&wife’s back catalog made for a bittersweet farewell. All 35 songs were recorded live with no overdubs. Several turned out better than the originals.

2. “Rock Them Back To Hell” by Left Lane Cruiser

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They may sound like they crawled out of a backwoods southern swamp, but Left Lane Cruiser hail from Fort Wayne. These guys have made quite a name for themselves with unbridled hillbilly punk that would melt Dan Auerbach’s face off, and “Rock Them Back To Hell” finds that band doing what they do best: overdriven blues guitar, whiskey-soaked vocals and hollerin’ good times.

1. “I Would Be The Sky” by Adrienne Frailey

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZXPMiVFIPw&w=180&h=120 rel=0]An intimate, minimal, powerful Americana record from a very talented Milford gal. Frailey opted for a more stripped-down approach for her latest release, and, wow, did it pay off. The re-imagined standards are a treat, but Frailey’s originals, especially “Hole In The River,” are everything singer-songwriters should strive for.

So there’s my Indiana picks for 2013. Again, feel free to comment with albums I may have missed or anything I should look for next year. And check back next week for my top five national albums of 2013.